With the Earth’s climate on the table as delegates from more than 160 nations gather in Buenos Aires for a global climate summit, some U.S. specialists are voicing concern that the White House is not honoring its promises. Among those available for comment:

ROSS GELBSPAN
Gelbspan, author of The Heat Is On: The Climate Crisis, the Cover-Up, the Prescription, just returned from the summit. “While the talks in Buenos Aires move at a snail’s pace, the warming-driven instability of the climate is gathering a fearful momentum,” he said. “From January’s ice storm, through the fires in Brazil, Mexico and Florida, killer heat waves in Texas, the Middle East and India, and the record flooding in Bangladesh, China and Central America, the message of the global climate system is: ‘Look out the window. Time’s up.'”
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DAPHNE WYSHAM
Coordinator of the Sustainable Energy and Economy Network, Wysham said: “Organizations like the World Bank are investing in fossil fuels in developing countries, laying the foundation for continued reliance on fossil fuels. The Bank is now proposing to help ‘jump start’ the market in carbon emissions trading. Although earmarked for sustainable development and poverty relief, nine out of ten World Bank fossil fuel projects benefit transnational corporations based in the wealthy countries — many of which are members of the Global Climate Coalition that actively opposes any action on climate change.”
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JOHN PASSACANTANDO
Executive director of Ozone Action, Passacantando said: “Only the Clinton administration could get expectations so low that when they finally sign a weak agreement, people mistake it for leadership. So far, the United States has not lived up to its responsibility as the world’s leading emitter of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. In order to leave the children of the world a safe and healthy environment, and protect threatened species, it is time for the U.S. to lead by example. When the Clinton administration stops grinning about the election results, they should take heed of their own rhetoric on the environment.”
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JOSHUA KARLINER
Karliner, executive director of the Transnational Resource & Action Center, commented: “The big oil, coal, utility and auto companies are not only responsible for a great deal of the global greenhouse emissions, but they have sunk millions into an advertising campaign which attempts to cast blame on developing countries — nations whose contributions to the climate problem often pale when compared with their own.”
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For more information, contact the Institute for Public Accuracy: Sam Husseini, (202) 347-0020; David Zupan, (541) 484-9167